Field of the Invention
A method of and apparatus for installing a flexible roof mat for supporting the roof of an underground mine working is the subject of my U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,399,927 and 4,099,785. My further application for U.S. patent Ser. No. 820,381 also concerns methods of and apparatus for the installation of such roof mats and the present application is divided therefrom and specifically concerns fastening means for fastening together adjacent lengths of roof mat and also concerns a roof mat structure comprising such lengths and fastening means in combination. Further, the present application includes certain developments in fastening means additional to the fastening means disclosed in my application Ser. No. 820,381 aforesaid.
My U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,399,927 and 4,099,785 disclosed methods and forms of apparatus the use of which provided an improvement in safety of personnel working beneath the roof but did not make provision for connection between the generally parallel length or portions of mat, so that there was a risk that gaps would be left or would develop between adjacent portions of the roof mat and the safeguard offered by the mat to descent of roof material would, therefore, not be established in respect of such gaps.
To secure adjacent portions of roof mat together by manual methods involves considerable work, is expensive, and gives rise to accident risks to an extent which is undesirable in mechanised mine workings.
The principal object of the present invention is to overcome or reduce these disadvantages.